Microscope Observation Container Sealing Liquid Immersion Medium
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Solution Overview
Problem
The liquid immersion medium in microscope observation containers evaporates over time due to environmental exposure and heat generated during long-term observation, leading to measurement inconsistencies and the need for complex and costly feed and drain mechanisms, which can introduce air bubbles and bacterial contamination.
Innovation Solution
A microscope observation container with a conical shape that seals the liquid immersion medium using the objective lens barrel, eliminating the need for a feed and drain mechanism and preventing evaporation, while allowing for precise adjustment of the sample position and easy filling with a semisolid medium to prevent leakage and contamination.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a feed and drain mechanism is provided to compensate for evaporation of the liquid immersion medium, then the liquid level can be maintained, but the device becomes complicated and expensive
Solution Approach 1:
The liquid immersion medium is filled into the observation container before the observation process begins. The container is designed with a sealed structure that prevents evaporation during observation, eliminating the need for feed and drain mechanisms. This preliminary filling action, combined with the sealed design, resolves the contradiction by maintaining liquid level without adding complex equipment.
2Quantity of substance
If a pump is configured for the feed and drain mechanism, then the liquid immersion medium can be supplied, but air bubbles may be generated and mixed into the liquid
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and removes the pump and feed/drain mechanism from the system entirely. Instead of using a pump to supply liquid, the container is pre-filled with the liquid immersion medium and sealed. This eliminates the source of air bubbles while maintaining the necessary liquid supply for observation.
3Reliability
If the liquid immersion medium is supplied continuously, then evaporation can be compensated, but the liquid surface may extend over the optical axis and interfere with light irradiation
Solution Approach 1:
The observation container is designed with a specific structure where the liquid immersion medium is confined to a predetermined region that does not extend over the optical axis. The container includes a light source positioning unit and a sample positioning unit arranged to ensure the liquid surface remains below the optical path. This local structural design allows evaporation compensation through sealing while preventing light interference.
4Quantity of substance
If a feed and drain device is used, then the liquid immersion medium can be maintained, but leakage may occur and break the device
Solution Approach 1:
The observation container is designed as a disposable or single-use component that is pre-filled with the liquid immersion medium and sealed. After use, the entire container is discarded rather than attempting to maintain or refill it. This approach eliminates the need for complex feed and drain devices that are prone to leakage, improving overall system reliability while reducing the risk of device breakdown.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution effectively prevents evaporation of the liquid immersion medium, simplifies the observation process, reduces the risk of air bubbles and bacterial contamination, and allows non-specialist operators to easily maintain the desired liquid level, enhancing the reliability and usability of the microscope observation device.
Implementation Method 1
A method of filling a portion between a sample serving as an observation target and an objective lens of a microscope with a liquid to increase numerical aperture and obtain higher resolution has been employed in observation using the microscope.
Implementation Method 2
when fluorescent light, Raman light, and the like, emitted from the sample, are observed in the observation, heat is generated by excitation light with which the sample is irradiated in order to generate the above-described observation light from the sample, and the liquid immersion medium evaporates due to the heat
Implementation Method 3
the liquid immersion medium evaporates due to the heat
Data Source
AI summary
In the microscope observation container according to the present invention, an observed sample is accommodated by an objective lens barrel provided with a housing extending along the radiation direction of excitation light and an objective lens fixed to an inside surface of the housing. The microscope observation container is provided with a structure for collecting a liquid immersion medium added by dispensation, the structure having a portion contacted by the objective lens barrel during observation. During observation the aforementioned portion is contacted by the objective lens barrel, and the liquid immersion medium is thereby sealed by the objective lens barrel and the structure. The aforementioned portion also has an elastic force, and is deformed so as to conform to the housing of the objective lens by the contact.